Caster



(ModeL) L. GWINNER.

UASTER. No. 361,694. Patented Apr. 26,1887.

WITNESSE$.-\ INVENTOR- A TTORNE Y N. PETERS Pholo-Lilhognphcr, Wishirfglon, DC

UNITED STATES.

PATENT O FICE.

LElVIS GVINN'ER, OF HAMILTON, OHIO.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,694, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed February 21, 1887. Serial No. 228,819.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS GWINNER, of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gasters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to furniturecasters of that class in which two floor-wheels are employed, the stem of the caster being articulated to the housing so as to be capable of oscillation as the furniture is moved over uneven fioors.

My improvements will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a caster illustrating my improvements, the nearest floorwheel being omitted,and the axle being shown in vertical section; Fig. 2, a similar view, the housing appearing in vertical section in a plane midway between the two floor-wheels; Fig. 3, a rear view of the same, the rear of the caster being to the left of Figs. 1 and 2 Fig. 4, a perspective view of the housing and axle, and Fig. 5 a perspective view of a portion of the stem and of the keeper.

In the drawings, A indicates the stem of the caster, the same being intended to attach to furniture in any of the usual manners by any of the usual means; B, a circular plate secured to the stem and intended to serve as an attaching means in case such method of attachment is desired, and also as a track for an antifriction roller in the housing in case such roller be employed; 0, an upwardly-facing shoulder on the stem, the stem presenting a cylindrical journal above this shoulder; D, a neck at the top of the stem above the cylindrical journal just referred to, this neck being formed by a slight reduction in diameter of the same; E, the housing presenting a vertical fiat face toward the stem; F, the axle passing horizontally through the housing and carried thereby; G, an anti-friction roller j ournaled in notches in the top of the housing and bearing with its periphery against the under sideof the plate; H, a rigid forward horizontal projection from the front of the housing and provided with a footstep-bearing in which rests the lower end of the stem, the lower end of the stem being rounded,so as to be capable of side oscillation (Model) in the footstep-bearing; J, the keeper for the stem,in the form of a block, having a bearing fitting the stem-journal, the rear of the block coming against or near the vertical face of the housing referred to; K,an upwardly-open hook projecting from the rear of the keeper into a mortise in the housing and engaging beneath the axle where the axle crosses that mortise; L, a gap or opening at one side of the bearing of the keeper-block, this gap being of such width as to admit the neck D of the stem, but not to admit the journal of the stem; M, the two floor-wheels, and N the mortise through the housing for the reception of the hook K, the hook being free from all side contacts in the mortise.

In putting this caster together, the neck of the stem is passed sidewise through the gap in the keeper and the stem is then raised until the stem-journal engages the bearing of said keeper. The stem is then free to rotate in the keeper, butisincapable of displacement there from by any upward or side motion. The antifriction roller, if one is employed, is now dropped into its bearings, and the stem and keeper placed in position upon the housing, the hook of the keeper entering the mortise of the housing and the foot of the stem setting into the footstep-bearing. A wheel is now placed on the axle, the axle pushed through the housing, and the other wheel applied and the axle riveted. The caster is then complete, and the parts incapable of accidental disconnection. The keeper and its hook are free fromany heavy strains,their duty being merely to prevent displacement of the parts.

Referring to Fig. '5 it will be at once apparent that if the stem has no plate, as will be the case with stem-attaching casters, the neck D and gap L will not be required, as the stem may be passed upward into the keeper-bearing.

I claim as my invention- 1. A furniture-caster having,in combination, a housing with a vertical forward face, a rigid forward projection provided with afootstepbearing and a mortise, an axle carried by said housing and crossing said mortise, two floor wheels upon said axle, a stem provided with a journal, an upwardly-facing shoulder, and a foot engaging said footstep-bearing and fitted for attachment to furniture, and a keeper pro set forth.

stem, and a mortise, an axle carried by said LEWIS G-WINNE \Vitnesses:

J. WV. SEE, W. A. SEWARD.

vided with a bearing engaging the journal of said stem andwith a hook reaching rear-' wardly into the mortise of the housing and engaging under the axle where it crosses the mortise, substantially as and for the purpose 2. Afurniture-casterhaving,in combination, a stem provided with a journal, a neck, an upwardly-facing shoulder, and a rounded foot and fitted for attachment to furniture, ahousing having a rigid bearing for the foot of the 

